The Recipe for Success!

Becoming a successful athlete is something that doesn't come easily or overnight. Achieving success can mean various different things in sport, but when you think of success as an athlete, you often dare to dream of trophies and glory. Whether you are performing at grass roots or the elite level of your sport, follow these different traits to implement into your game and help you become a successful athlete!

Never give up

Don't ever give up! Yes you'll have bad days, when everything is going wrong for you, but you'll also have plenty of good days. Don't give up working hard to achieve your dreams, both on and off the pitch, no matter how long it may take.

Budget your time

An athlete will dedicate their time correctly and give the right amount needed to become successful; this can be training on certain days of the week, for a set amount of time. Don't make excuses or alter that pattern if you can help it, make sure you stick to it!

Learn from failure

Nobody likes losing but it does happen. But failure gives you a valuable source of feedback and highlights your weaknesses. You can't get better and become successful without knowing your weaknesses, so champions will learn from their failures and work to do better, seeing it nothing more than what you have to do to get to the top!

Ask questions

"What's the best way to improve this part of my game?" "What did I do wrong today?" Asking questions like these are key to help shape your style of play and aid your path to success. Ask not only your coach or teammates questions but also yourself! Always look to improve and this is a perfect way to do so.

Put the team first

There is no 'i' in team and if you play in a team sport, it's important that you put your team's interest first, ahead of your personal agenda. Become a team player and work hard for your team-mates, ensuring that there is plenty communication between you all. Remember: teamwork makes the dream work!

The want to learn

It's important to keep learning to help develop your game and gain new experiences to help you go forward. Don't be afraid to learn and try something new! Taking on any feedback and learning to improve different techniques or ways to play your game can all benefit you in your sport.

Work harder after setbacks

You may get a number of setbacks throughout your career and that's ok, but it's important that you learn from them. Be prepared to work hard to avoid and limit these in the future, putting in 100% effort and dedication. Don't just sit back and wallow in disappointment, don't give up!

Take responsibility for your mistakes

Don't shy away from accepting responsibility for any mistakes that you make. If you know that you were at fault for an error, then don't shift blame to others. Hold your hand up and accept responsibility, before moving on and learning from this. You'll gain trust from coaches and your fellow team-mates for owning up to an error, rather than making excuses!

Handle criticism

It's important to take criticism on the chin and handle it in a respectable way. Take on board what is said, look to work on these areas in training or a game situation, then improve. Sometimes criticism isn't what we want to hear but it can be necessary at times to help you succeed!

Embrace challenges

A challenge is always fun! Well sometimes. But don't be afraid to go out of your comfort zone! Take on a new challenge, perhaps a new way of training or a slight alteration to your style of play, and embrace it.